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'Reading a book is like re-writing it for yourself. You bring to a novel, anything you read, all your experience of the world. You bring your history and you read it in your own terms.'- Angela Carter

Wednesday, 21 May 2014

REVIEW: The Book of You - Claire Kendal

The Book of You - Claire Kendal

A terrifying psychological thriller about obsession and power, perfect for fans of Gone Girl and Before I Go to Sleep.

Clarissa is becoming more and more frightened of her colleague, Rafe. He won’t leave her alone, and he refuses to take no for an answer. He is always there.

Being selected for jury service is a relief. The courtroom is a safe haven, a place where Rafe can’t be. But as a violent tale of kidnap and abuse unfolds, Clarissa begins to see parallels between her own situation and that of the young woman on the witness stand.

Realizing that she bears the burden of proof, Clarissa unravels the twisted, macabre fairytale that Rafe has spun around them – and discovers that the ending he envisions is more terrifying than she could have imagined.

But how do you protect yourself from an enemy no one else can see?

The Book of You is a book that's been popping up everywhere lately and I knew I had to find out what the hype was all about. I was most definitely not disappointed. This is easily the most chilling book I've read in the longest time. I'm not a huge reader of psychological thrillers but I absolutely could not put this book down. Every chapter brought a new surprise and a new terrifying twist. It's such an unsettling and terrifying read. I found myself thinking about what it would be like to be stalked and cowering away from the thoughts. Claire Kendal writes such a realistic, believable tale and it filled me with horror the deeper I read into the book.

Kendal is such a brilliant writer. The way that she creates the character of Clarissa is so believable; I felt like I knew someone like her. I liked that she was an everyday person; she wasn't a super model, she wasn't famous or popular, she was just a woman living her life, going to work, dealing with ups and downs. This factor made the book all the more sinister. Being stalked is something that can happen to anyone and the way that Kendal depicts Clarissa's withdrawal from society, her friends and her life is so shocking and terrifying. The court case that Clarissa attends gives an entirely new perspective to Clarissa's story. Everything seems all the more real and ends up creating even more twists and turns to her story.

The thing I loved the most about Clarissa is that she was active. She ensured she had evidence of the stalking. She didn't sit back and let everything overcome her no matter how scared she was. Just reading this piece of fiction made me appreciate how horrific an experience stalking could be. If you're in need of a psychological thriller that'll have you flicking on all of the lights then look no further than The Book of You. It's such an addictive, thrilling read that I couldn't put down. I had to know what the outcome was and it did not disappoint. This book lived up to my expectations and then some. It's a book I could easily read again and again and I can't wait to force this book on other people I know!